DC Brau and DC United Start a New Tradition

By Thomas Appel

Fans of DC United Football Club now have a special beer to enjoy while cheering on their team, thanks to DC Brau Brewing Company and homebrewers in the nation’s capital.

“I think craft beer and sports go hand in hand,” says DC Brau owner and brewer Jeff Hancock. “Beer has been synonymous with sports from the very beginning, and craft-educated sports fans will create a demand for higher quality beer at sporting events they attend.”

DC United fans have been patrons of DC Brau for years, showing support to the brewery through buying kegs to tailgate with before United matches. This camaraderie inspired DC Brau to introduce the Brand The Brew competition, and that is how The Tradition was born.

Out of a total of 453 entries into Brand the Brew, Donald Wine II’s submission The Tradition was chosen as the winner by United midfielder Chris Pontius, and defenders Ethan White and Dejan Jakovic.

The Tradition, a golden ale is a low ABV, low hop ale brewed with Pale 2 row malt and CaraPils malt. The brew is first wort-hopped with Cascade and Fuggles, giving it an estimated IBU of 12, making it a perfect beer for tailgating outside RFK stadium.

“We are humbled and excited to have been asked to create a brew to honor this great team, their passionately unrivaled fans and our beloved city,” said Brandon Skall, CEO of DC Brau.

Hancock sees Brand the Brew and The Tradition as a step forward for the American craft beer industry saying, “ I think the light lagers of the world will always have their place, but craft beer is on the heels of these beers and you see craft beer in more and more stadiums and arenas countrywide.”

The first batch of The Tradition has already been released and was an instant hit. The next batch is currently fermenting and is set to be ready the second week of July. There has been talk at DC Brau of canning The Tradition, but we’ll have wait and see what the future holds. For now, it’s a great connection between the world of sports and the world of craft beer.

Thomas Appel’s love for craft beer began after visiting a micro brewery at the end of the world in the Chilean Patagonia. He currently lives in the center of the beer world in Boulder, Colorado, where he is the intern for the craft beer program and a recent graduate from the University of Colorado. A native of the Sunshine State, Thomas can be found enjoying craft beer while getting lost on the beautiful rivers of Colorado!